


Best Laid Plans

by misanthropiclycanthrope



Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 15:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6013345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misanthropiclycanthrope/pseuds/misanthropiclycanthrope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“You do ’ave some charms.”</i>
</p><p> </p><p> <i>“I doubt they are comparable to those you were expecting to enjoy tonight.”</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have much love for Valentine’s Day (heh), but I was stuck at work and it was so dull I felt some fluff was in order. So I started writing this.

Athos looked up as someone slid into the seat opposite him, one brow arching up in surprise when he saw whom it was.

“Porthos.” His confusion was clear in his tone. He hadn’t expected to see any of his friends that night. D’Artagnan was spending the evening with Constance, Aramis was busy with a lady of whose name Athos remained happily ignorant, and Porthos was courting Céline, a lady he had almost quite literally stumbled into a few days previously.

At least, that was what he was should have been doing. Instead, he was smiling at Athos across the tavern’s scarred tabletop.

“The lovely Céline cannot have grown bored with you so soon, surely.”

Porthos shrugged, untroubled. “We decided to part early, so I thought I’d keep you company instead.”

“A morose drunk hardly makes an agreeable alternative.”

“I dunno. You do ’ave some charms.”

Athos rolled his eyes and raised his cup to hide the smile tugging at his lips. He made a gloomy companion at the best of times, but Porthos never failed to see the best in him. “I doubt they are comparable to those you were expecting to enjoy tonight.”

“I’m willin’ to take a gamble.”

“I’m honoured.”

Porthos grinned, and Athos felt a small pang of guilt at having to subject Porthos to his shortcomings. Porthos looked unconcerned, however, as he helped himself to Athos’s wine. The silence between them as they drank was a comfortable one, years of friendship negating the need for forced conversation. When the wine was depleted, Athos was about to rise and purchase them each some more, but Porthos spoke first.

“I got some brandy back in my rooms. P’rhaps you’d like to share it with me?”

Athos wasn’t sure what had prompted the offer, but the thought of spending the remainder of the evening with Porthos was a welcome one, and far preferable to sitting alone in a dingy tavern. Sometimes, one’s own mind made for a tedious drinking partner. “I believe I would. Thank you.”

Porthos was grinning happily as he led Athos from the tavern, and took his arm as they navigated the streets of Paris. Such a show of intimacy was something Athos would have baulked at in the past, but now he welcomed the affection inherent in the gesture.

A short walk later, Porthos ushered Athos into his lodgings, urging him to sit while he built a fire and fetched the promised brandy, ignoring his offer of assistance. Athos’s protests petered out once he had a glass in his hand and Porthos by his side.

The brandy was good, the warmth from both the fire and Porthos’s body pleasantly relaxing. Still, Athos could not help wondering if Porthos was lamenting his loss of a more charming guest.

“I am sorry your evening did not turn out quite as you expected.”

“I ain’t complainin’. This is nice.”

“I rather think you would prefer to be escorting Céline to your bed than sitting here with a miserable bastard like me.”

Porthos shook his head, his smile one of happy contentment. “Nah. Got everythin’ I want right here.”

There was a sincerity in Porthos’s voice that Athos knew to be genuine even as he found it difficult to believe. Porthos was watching him, a tentative question in his eyes, an unspoken offer in his smile.

In that moment, Athos knew the same was true for him.

A smile was all the answer Porthos needed, and Athos went willingly as he was tugged close by the arm that looped around his shoulders, the warmth spreading into his chest.

This was everything he could ever want.


End file.
